Shared client-side web caching using globally addressable memory

• US 6,026,474 A
• Filed: 05/02/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ManageSoft Corporation (Flexera Software LLC)
• Inventors: Carter, John B., Lee, Hsin H., Frank, Steven J., Dietterich, Daniel J., Davis, Scott H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lane, Jack A.
• Application Number:
  US08/848,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201-203, 711/121, 711/130, 711/147, 711/202, 707/10, 707/103, 707/104
• US Class Current: 711/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0724 in a multiprocessor or a multi-core unit multiprocessors per se G06F15/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1425 by reconfiguration of node membership
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/182 based on mutual exchange of the output between redundant processing components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0813 with a network or matrix configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1072 Decentralised address translation, e.g. in distributed shared memory systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/167 using a common memory, e.g. mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 : Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A shared client-side Web cache is provided by implementing a file system shared between nodes. Each browser application stores cached data in files stored in a globally addressable data store. Since the file system is a shared one, the client-side Web caches are also shared.

Claims

1. A method for locally caching and sharing downloaded data between a plurality of client nodes, the method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of client nodes interconnected by a network, each of the plurality of client nodes sharing a shared addressable memory space of a globally addressable data store and including (i) an interface for accessing the network, (ii) a local volatile memory device for volatile storage, (iii) a local persistent storage device for persistent storage, and (iv) a subsystem for mapping at least a portion of the shared addressable memory space to a portion or all of the volatile and persistent storage to provide thereby addressable volatile and persistent storage accessible by each of the plurality of client nodes;

(b) storing on each node an instance of a control program for manipulating caches of downloaded data to provide multiple, ditributed instances of the control program;

(c) interfacing each instance of said control program to the globally addressable data store;

(d) operating each instance of said control program to employ the globally addressable data store as a memory device;

(e) storing data downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the globally addressable data store; and

(f) retrieving the downloaded data stored in the globally addressable data store by a different one of the plurality of nodes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises storing HTML files downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the globally addressable data store.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises storing ActiveX controls downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the globally addressable data store.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises storing fragments of downloaded HTML files in the globally addressable data store.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises storing JAVA applets downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the globally addressable data store.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises image files downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the globally addressable data store.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of associating a URL address with data stored in the globally addressable data store relating to the data accessed at the URL address.

8. A method for locally caching and sharing downloaded data between a plurality of client nodes, the method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of client nodes interconnected by a network, each of the plurality of a client nodes sharing a shared addressable memory space of a distributed shared memory and including (i) an interface for accessing the network, (ii) a local volatile memory device for volatile storage, (iii) a local persistent storage device for persistent storage, and (iv) a subsystem for mapping at least a portion of the shared addressable memory space to a portion or all of the volatile and persistent storage to provide thereby addressable volatile and persistent storage accessible by each of the plurality of client nodes;

(b) storing on each node an instance of a control program for manipulating caches of downloaded data to provide multiple, distributed instances of the control program;

(c) interfacing each instance of the control program to the distributed shared memory;

(d) operating each instance of said control program to employ the distributed shared memory as a memory device;

(e) storing data downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the distributed shared memory; and

(f) retrieving the downloaded data stored in the distributed shared memory by a different one of the plurality of nodes.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein step (e) comprises storing HTML files downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the distributed shared memory.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein step (e) comprises storing ActiveX controls downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the distributed shared memory.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein step (e) comprises storing fragments of downloaded HTML files in the distributed shared memory.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein step (e) comprises storing JAVA applets downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the distributed shared memory.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein step (e) comprises image files downloaded by any one of the plurality of nodes in the distributed shared memory.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of associating a URL address with data stored in the distributed shared memory relating to the data accessed at the URL address.